Wrist watch for digital indication

ABSTRACT

Digital indicating means comprise digit discs for indicating the time of the day and a rotary date ring for indicating the date of the month. A mounting ring is spaced around said date ring. A cross-member is carried by said mounting ring and overlies said date ring and has a recess which is eccentric with respect to said date ring. A day disc is accommodated in said recess and serves to indicate the day of the week.

United States Patent Foerster [451 Aug. 6, 1974 WRIST WATCH FOR DIGITAL INDICATION [75] Inventor: Rolf Foerster, Pforzheim, Germany Pnmmy Examiner-George [73] Assignee: Firma Bernhard, Foester,

Pfarzheim, Germany [22] Filed: Dec. 12, 1973 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 426,682

Digital indicating means comprise digit discs for indi- 30 F A P D ta cating the time of the day and a rotary date ring for 1 J :25 y y a 2300694 indicating the date of the month. A mounting ring is ermany spaced around said date ring. A cross-member is carried by said mounting ring and overlies said date ring E3] and has a recess which is eccentric with respect to said d M R 5 58 date ring. A day disc is accommodated in said recess le o are and serves to indicate the day of the week [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1,997,5il 4/1935 Canepa 58/58 x I! llg$'::k t=\ I2 I ,2 r t l 11/ (p u I 0 i mg m 61974 SHEET 1 OF 5 w my my PATENTED Am; 61974 SHEET 2 [1F 5 PATENTEU RUE 61974 WRIST WATCH FOR DIGITAL INDICATION This invention relates to a wrist watch provided with means for digital indication by means of digit discs and a revolving date ring.

In the previously known wrist watches for digital indication, the second, minute, and hour discs are spaced increasing radial distances apart from the center and, if a date indication is provided for, are surrounded by a date ring consisting of a raised portion of a date disc. These four discs are driven by the hand-driving mechanism like the hands of a conventional watch. The hourindicating means may also be provided with a stepping mechanism. The above-mentioned discs cover the watch movement like a dial so that the provision of a day disc for indicating the day of the week would increase the size of the overall arrangement and of the watch or would render the reading of the other indications more difiicult. Both results are undesired.

It is an object of the invention to provide the watch with an additional day disc without adversely affecting the readability of the watch and without increasing the size thereof.

In a wrist watch. having means for digital indication by digit discs and a revolving date ring, this object is accomplished according to the invention by the provision by a cross-member which extends over the date ring and consists preferably of a calendar plate, which is mounted on an outer ring and in which a day disc is eccentrically mounted. The cross-member may consist of a calendar plate, which covers the watch movement provided with the hour and minute discs and the date ring and may be mounted on the top edge of the outer ring. I

The use of a cross-member consisting of a calendar plate eliminates the need for a separate dial for covering the movement, particularly in digital watches having a housing which is provided with a narrow viewing slot. Alternatively, the digital dial may be mounted on the edge of the calendar plate and may preferably be provided with a central recess, in which a second disc or hand is mounted.

Further details of a wrist watch for digital indication according to the invention are shown by way of example on the drawing, in which FIGS. 1 and 2 are, respectively, a partly sectional view showing the arrangement according to the invention and a top plan view showing the overall arrangement without a dial.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line III- --III of FIG. 2 corresponding to the partly sectional view of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and S are, respectively, a partly sectional view and a fragmentary top plan view showing another embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention. 2

As is apparent from FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawing, a mounting plate 1 carries an outer ring la. An hour wheel 4 is freely rotatably mounted on a cannon 3 and is provided with a starwheel 5, which is stepped forward by a pinion 6. The hour disc 4 has a rim 7, which is upwardly offset to extend in the plane of a minute disc 8 and carries numerals. The minute disc 8 is mounted on the cannon 3 for rotation therewith. The outerring 1a carries a cross-member consisting of a calendar plate 9, which has an eccentric recess 10, in which a day disc 11 is mounted at 12. The day disc 11 is driven by a toothed pin 13, which meshes with a reducer gear 14 (step ratio 1:24), which carries a stepping finger wheel 15. The latter steps forward'the day disc 11. The reducer gear 14 and the stepping finger wheel 15 are also mounted in the calendar plate 9. This arrangement is surrounded by a date ring 16, which extends into an annular step 17 of the calendar plate 9 and in the usual manner is raised from its mounting and drive means 18.

The calendar plate 9 is mounted by means of screws 19 on the top edge of the outer ring la and has apertures 20 for the indication of the hour and minute and an aperture 21 for the indication of the date. The plate 9 is also provided with the above-mentioned recess 10 for the day disc 11 and the reducer gear train 14, 15. The calendar plate 9 also accommodates a digital dial 22 having apertures 23 for the hour and minute indication, an aperture 24 for the date indication, and an aperture 25 for a separate day indication. The dial 22 is provided with a central recess 26 for a second disc 27, which is mounted on a central second arbor 28, which is rotatably mounted in the cannon 3. Alternatively, a second hand may be provided, which is not shown.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an arrangement in which a day disc 11a is mounted in an eccentric recess 10a of the calendar plate 9a and is driven at a step ratio of 1:1 from a date ring 16a by an engagement between teeth 12a and pins 13a. The day disc 11a carries seven pins 12a, which are successively engaged by teeth 13a associated with respective dates. The other parts are not provided with reference numbers because they are the same as in the first embodiment.

What is claimed is:

1. A wrist watch, which comprises digital indicating means comprising digit discs for indicating the time of the day and a rotary date ring for indicating the date of the month,

a stationary outer ring spaced around said date ring,

a cross-member carried by said outer ring and extending over said date ring and having a recess which is eccentric with respect to said date ring, and

a day disc accommodated in said recess and serving to indicate the day of the week. I

2. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 1, in which said digit discs comprise an hour disc, and

a speed-reducing geared transmission having a toothed pin and a gear is connected between said hour disc and said day disc for driving the latter with a step ratio of 1:24 relative to said hour disc.

3. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 1, which comprises a transmission connected between said date ring and said day disc for driving the latter at a step ratio of 1:1 relative to said date ring, said transmission comprising an annular series of gear teeth rotatable with said date ring and associated with respective dates of the month, and an annular series of pins rotatable with said day disc and associated with respective days of the week. 4. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 1, in which said cross-member consists of a calendar plate.

5. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 4, in which said digit discs comprise an hour disc and a minute disc,

3 4 a movement underlying said digital indicating means outer portion of said calendar plate and-- is provlded for driving Sal lgl l d g second-indicating means rotatably mounted in said means, dial. I

said outer ring surrounds said movement and has a top edge, and said calendar plate is secured to said top edge and covers said movement and said digit discs. mdlcatm; means A wrist watch as set forth in claim 4 which 8. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 6, in which said prises second-indicating means consist of a disc.

a dial for digital indication connected to a radially 7. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 6, in which said dial has a central recess accommodating said second- 

1. A wrist watch, which comprises digital indicating means comprising digit discs for indicating the time of the day and a rotary date ring for indicating the date of the month, a stationary outer ring spaced around said date ring, a cross-member carried by said outer ring and extending over said date ring and having a recess which is eccentric with respect to said date ring, and a day disc accommodated in said recess and serving to indicate the day of the week.
 2. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 1, in which said digit discs comprise an hour disc, and a speed-reducing geared transmission having a toothed pin and a gear is connected between said hour disc and said day disc for driving the latter with a step ratio of 1:24 relative to said hour disc.
 3. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 1, which comprises a transmission connected between said date ring and said day disc for driving the latter at a step ratio of 1:1 relative to said date ring, said transmission comprising an annular series of gear teeth rotatable with said date ring and associated with respective dates of the month, and an annular series of pins rotatable with said day disc and associated with respective days of the week.
 4. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 1, in which said cross-member consists of a calendar plate.
 5. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 4, in which said digit discs comprise an hour disc and a minute disc, a movement underlying said digital indicating means is provided for driving said digital indicating means, said outer ring surrounds said movement and has a top edge, and said calendar plate is secured to said top edge and covers said movement and said digit discs.
 6. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 4, which comprises a dial for digital indication connected to a radially outer portion of said calendar plate and second-indicating means rotatably mounted in said dial.
 7. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 6, in which said dial has a central recess accommodating said second-indicating means.
 8. A wrist watch as set forth in claim 6, in which said second-indicating means consist of a disc. 